Jake and Theo, two brothers who grew up locally, decided to take their off-road running skills to a new level. They ran the Cotswold Way Ultra Challenge for the Marah Trust on June 24th.
They were joined by hundreds of others on a circular route from Cirencester via Painswick and back via Dursley to Cirencester.
They set off at 7am on Saturday June 24th heading out from Cirencester and finished in the dark at 1am in the dark after completing 100Km. They finished 37th and 38th out of several hundred runners. Overall, they raised for Marah around £1,500 through sponsorship.
Jake writes: There’s a whole host of sensations and emotions whilst you’re in the heart of the race, as well as plenty that stay with you afterwards; the stunning views, the resistance of your body to keep going, the joy and relief of finishing. It’s certainly tough, the heat and the hills will live long in the memory – along with the struggle of the final 10km – but the beauty of the Cotswold Way, the buzz of reaching each aid station, clocking up the kilometres, the smiles and waves of the volunteers and other participants, make it an unforgettable experience that I enjoyed more than expected.
The challenge itself was exceptionally well-organised catering for hundreds of runners and walkers of all ages tackling different distances, marking out a full 100km loop, and ensuring everyone is taken care of at the aid stations (every 10-15km).
The Cotswold Way Challenge is an annual race run in June.